b'A BRIEF AND EVER GROWING HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF TRURO MASSACHUSETTS, TAKEN FROM SOME WRITINGS IN THE TRURO CHAMBER OF COMMERCEINFORMATIONBROCHURES OF YEARS PAST, RICHS TRURO, AND WRITINGS OFF. WESLEY GARRAN.Edited by Mark Peters,March 2021InNovemberof1620,thePilgrimssailedintoCapeCodBayand anchoredinwhatisnowProvincetownHarbor.Havinglivedunder cramped, smelly, dirty conditions for the previous few months, many came ashore to look around.A group led by Miles Standish, (who had thenicknameCaptainShrimp),wanderedintowhatbecameTruro.There they found fresh water (Pilgrim Springs), a cache of maize (Corn Hill)andaplacetocampoutforthenight,(PondVillage).While trompingaboutinTruro,legendhasit,thePilgrimsmetagroupof locals,Pamet Indians. Both sides fired on each other.Fortunately, no one was hit and as honor had been satisfied, the locals and the wash-a-shores withdrew.A few weeks later the Pilgrims weighed anchor and sailed across the bay to what is now Plymouth.They would be back!In 1709, Truro was incorporated as a town.The descendents of those Pilgrims, who had stopped by almost ninety years before, had returned. InitiallyTrurowaspartofEastham,butTrurohadsomeunique advantages that made settlement popular and with hard work, a good livingcouldberealized.Withthisprosperitythelocalcitizenswere able to build a church and pay a minister. Having a house of worship and supporting a minister for at least two years, was a requirement to become a town.This was accomplished and on July 16, 1709 Truro was incorporatedandbecameanofficialtownoftheMassachusettsBay Colony.The siteof that first house of worship is now the location of the Christian Union Church.The original graveyard is currently used as a community garden. During the 1700s, in addition to fishing and agriculture, the killing of whales and blackfish offered a cash income at relatively low risk. From the French and Indian Wars, through the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, Truro both participated and prospered.Gentlemen from Truro were sent to Nantucket to teach the islanders the art of killing whalesandblackfish.Smallshipbuildingintheharbor,fishing,salt-works through the use of windmills, combined with large gardens made for a good life in this small hamlet.44'